1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fabricated thin brick sheets for use as wall or floor coverings and a process for manufacturing such sheets. The invention is a veneer, one layer of which comprises of an array of glued or adhesive applied thin bricks.
2. The Prior Art
Thin brick has long been a highly desired backing material for walls and floors, for interior and exterior, and the like. It is attractive, durable, waterproof, and fireproof. Thin bricks are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors, patterns, textures, and surface finishes. They are uniquely suited to a variety of applications ranging from decorative accents in the homes to complete commercial exterior finishes.
Thin brick per se is relatively inexpensive, being made essentially from clay minerals fired at high temperature. Not so its installation. The conventional construction of a thin brick wall, for example, begins with the installation of metal lath over a vapor barrier secured sheathing. Next, a scratch coat of mortar is applied to the lath followed by an accurately leveled mortar bed for the thin brick. Should the scratch coat be uneven, a separate, additional leveling layer of mortar may be required. When using adhesive brick are set one by one then grouted using mortar applied between thin brick. Individual thin bricks must be cut using special equipment and tools to fit them to spaces requiring less than a full thin brick or to fit them around fixtures and the like.
Thin brick setting is a skilled occupation, commanding high wages. The level of skill required, and the time-consuming nature of conventional thin brick installation render the process very expensive. Unfortunately, due to the high cost of thin brick installation, some builders have attempted installation shortcuts in a misguided effort to save money. Improper installation techniques frequently result in expensive repairs for the homeowner or general contractor.
Given this situation, it is not surprising to find a number of proposed solutions to the problem in the prior art. The concept of a prefabricated thin brick sheet which would not require any thin brick setting at the installation site has long been considered. However, the thin brick sheets previously described have all proved unsatisfactory for reasons such as insufficient strength, excessive weight, complexity of installation, and high labor cost. And none have met with commercial success to any significant extent.
Thus, it will be appreciated that the prefabricated thin brick sheets known in the art prior to this disclosure all relied on a core part, commonly of steel, plastic, foam, or a relatively thick backing layer to impart some measure of structural strength and rigidity to the sheets. These cores substantially increase the thickness of the sheets, and this in turn necessitates special mounting hardware for installation.